NEWS & NOTABLES

WASHINGTON, DC–Elizabeth Birch has joined CBRE's Advisory & Transaction Services | Occupier team as a vice president in its Washington, DC office. Birch will focus on helping associations, nonprofits and law firms with their real estate strategies. Birch joins CBRE following more than a decade as CEO of the Elizabeth Birch Co.

WASHINGTON, DC–Colliers International Group has been awarded the 2017 NAIOP Northern Virginia Award of Merit for the Real Estate Transaction Sale of the Route 28 Flex Portfolio. The award was accepted by Colliers International Executive VP David Gast. Gast represented Buchanan Partners in the purchase of the portfolio, for just over $81 million.

WASHINGTON, DC–Newmark Knight Frank has promoted David Hardcastle to managing director. Hardcastle will continue to specialize in tenant representation, research, analysis and lease negotiation in the Washington metropolitan area. He joined NKF in 2010 as an associate and most recently held the position of director.

DEAL TRACKER

WASHINGTON, DC–MRP Realty and Ellis Development Group, in partnership with JBG SMITH, have broken ground on their new mixed-use development, The Wren, located at 965 Florida Ave., NW. The Wren is a 289,686-square-foot development in the Shaw neighborhood. The building features 433 residential units, of which 132 units will be affordable. Anchoring the ground floor will be a 43,406-square-foot Whole Foods – the seventh location of the grocery retailer in the District and its first store here since being purchased by Amazon.